Culture Shock

� the physical and emotional discomfort produced when a person moves to a culture different from the place of origin.

� e.g. moving to a new country, entering a new corporation

� the lack of direction, the feeling of not knowing what to do or how to do things in a new environment, and not knowing what is appropriate or inappropriate.

� culture shock is experienced at three levels:

• Emotions • Thoughts • Social skills and identity

Culture Shock

Source: Marx (1999): 12

Culture shock pyramid

Causes? � Conflict and uncertainty between one’s values and those of the new

culture

� Not knowing the language

� Isolation

� Not knowing the rules and how to behave

� Lack of supporting network and other relations

� Lack of information (rights, standards, services (e.g. Child care))

� Trying too hard to absorb everything in the new culture

� Inability to solve simple problems,

� Systems of work differ

� personality characteristics considered positive for business success at home (e.g. competitiveness, aggressiveness, short term orientation) may be liabilities abroad contributing to culture shock

Symptoms

� Sadness, loneliness, melancholy

� Changes in temperament

� depression

� Feelings of denial and rejection

� Anger, resentment, unwillingness to interact with others

� Longing for family, identifying with/ idealizing the old culture

� Loss of identity and self-esteem

� Feelings of incompetence

� Feelings of inadequacy or insecurity, vulnerability

� Fear and anxiety about committing a social faux pas

� Feelings of being lost, overlooked, exploited, abused

Emotional symptoms

� headaches, Aches, pains

� Fatigue

� loss of appetite

� diarrhoea

� Allergies

� Insomnia

� desire to sleep too much

Physical symptoms

� New culture is wrong

� Developing stereotypes about the new culture

� Aggression/ Racism towards locals "rude", "dirty", "lazy“

Intellectual symptoms

Stages of Culture Shock

1. Introduction: Initial enthusiasm, excitement and euphoria   (“Honeymoon”, “Vacation”)

• individual experiences a holiday or 'honeymoon' period with their new surroundings

• positive feelings about the culture

• overwhelmed with impressions

• Find the new culture exotic and fascinating

Unconscious Incompetence.

2. Transition: Irritability and negativism ( “Hostility” “Withdrawal”) • Individual now has more face to face experiences of

the culture and starts to find things different, strange and frustrating.

• behaviour of people seen as unusual and unpredictable

• Begin to dislike the culture and react negatively to the behaviour

• Feel anxious • Start to withdraw • Begin to criticize, mock or show animosity to the

people. Conscious Incompetence

3. Adjustment : Gradual adjustment and adaptation (“Humour”)

• individual now has a routine, feels more settled and is more confident in dealing with the new culture.

• Understand and accept the behaviour of the people, • Feel less isolated • Regain their sense of humour.

• Adopt certain behaviours from the new culture.

Conscious Competence.

4. Acceptance: Integration and bi-culturalism (“Home”)

• individual now feels 'at home'.

• Enjoy being in the culture,

• Function well in the culture, begin to feel comfortable and take steps to become more familiar with the culture,

• Prefer certain cultural traits of the new culture rather than their own

Unconscious Competence

• .

Developing Intercultural Sensitivity

The Experience of Difference

Denial Defence Minimization

Ethnocentric Stages Ethnorelative Stages

Acceptance Adaptation Integration

culture shock is a continual process of increasingly subtle immersion into a culture

Denial Denying the existence of differences or even the existence of other cultures or practices.

Ethnocentric Stages

Defensiveness Recognizing a cultural practice as different by labeling it wrong or inferior.

Or, by labeling one’s own practice superior.

Minimization Recognizing differences, but labeling them relatively superficial, implying that, deep down, we are all the same.

Usually that they are just like us – not that we are just like them

Acceptance Accepting that another cultural practice is valid (for that culture) whether one agrees with it, or is skilled at practicing it.

Ethno-relative Stages

Adaptation Developing skill at a different cultural practice in order to function effectively in that culture.

Integration Developing the skills and abilities to change cultural practices and points of view, as the situation calls for it.

Sometimes being so adaptable as to not be able to identify strongly with any one culture.

Normal Distribution of Any Cultural Trait

Frequency

Amount of Trait

Example: Individualism vs. Group Orientation

A typical business person

Comparing Two Cultures (on any given trait)

In this example, there is some overlap, but the two cultures are mostly different

Comparing Two Cultures

Pre-Trip

After Adaptation

After Adaptation

Culture Shock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFbPCj_cajY&feature=fvst

How to cope with Culture Shock Probably the best overall strategy for coping, with the various

manifestations of culture shock is to be prepared and make a conscious effort to adjust to the new culture.

1. Get involved in some aspect of the new culture.

� Study the art or music, or learn a new sport 2. Take time to learn the language.

� Locals will appreciate the effort to communicate with them in their own language, even if it is just a few simple phrases

� Carry a small notebook and jot down a couple of new phrases each day.

3. Take care of yourself. � Eat well, exercise and take the time to sleep. � Be careful with alcohol.

How to cope with Culture Shock 4. Travel.

� Take the time to be a tourist and explore the country’s sights.

5. Make friends and develop relationships. � Make an effort to meet people. � This will help overcome cultural differences and understand the

country and its people. � Interacting with locals will also show how to be more sensitive

to cultural norms and expectations.

6. Maintain contact with friends and family back home. � communicating about experiences and problems can help sort

through them � keep a journal of feelings and thoughts

7. Do something that reminds you of home. � This can boost spirits when feeling homesick � Watch a hockey game � Connect with the expatriate community � Bring favourite music, hobbies, films

8. Avoid idealizing life back home.

� Try to make the most of the stay and consciously adopt an open mind.

9. Maintain your sense of humour

How to cope with Culture Shock

Reverse or Re-entry Culture Shock � The often unexpected and difficult period of disorientation and

readjustment experienced after returning to one’s own culture after an extended period of living abroad.

� Most people anticipate some degree of culture shock. Very few people believe they will experience reverse culture shock.

� The Stages of Reverse Culture Shock are almost the same as those of Culture Shock

1. Initial Euphoria (may be very brief or not happen at all) 2. Irritability and Negativism ( may be very lengthy) 3. Gradual Adaptation 4. True Bi-Culturalism

� Prepare for reverse culture shock by anticipating it and normalizing behaviours

� Allow feelings of sadness about the things left behind � Share the experience

Coping with Reverse Culture Shock

Returning To Home Culture

Returning To Home Culture

Reverse Culture Shock

Stage Signs Coping Strategies

Honeymoon (2-8 weeks)

Disintegration (2-3 months)

� new experiences are exciting � be a tourist

� feel fortunate for chance to move abroad.

� people are friendly, you smile a lot, in control

� make contacts in clubs and associations, sign up for some activities

� your own sense of culture is not threatened

� join a language course

� daily frustrations can build into disillusionment

� look after yourself, exercise, avoid alcohol

� the good things of home loom large

� get out, be with people � continue language

practice � keep busy � set daily goals and try to

achieve them

Stages of Culture shock

Stage Signs Coping Strategies

Integration (3-6 months)

Becoming Functional (6 months)

� a sense of standing up to the things and people that are frustrating you

� build your network of friends

� continue language study

� determination to work things out and get things done

� spend time with people who enjoy being there

� keep in touch with people back home

� feel in control and positive again about where you are

� try new things, and explore the culture

� self-understanding and more tolerance of others � practice the language

� a sense of comfort operating in the host culture

� You help others adjust

� do things you intended to do while in this country before it's time to leave

Stages of Culture shock

Stage Signs Coping Strategies

Acceptance (9 months)

� you’re more successful in communications with locals

� enjoying being where you are

� adept at finding things � no longer stereotyping � understanding local

customs

� maintain key relationships

Stages of Culture shock